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London Olympics

LONDON (CBS) – Harvard alum Henrik Rummel may be from Denmark, but he’ll be sporting the stars and stripes as he rows in the Olympic Men’s Four final on Saturday in Eton Dorney, England.

Rummel, whose family moved to the US in 2000, claimed that there was never a question as to which country he would row for.

“Some of my friends back [in Denmark] would talk to me about how there were other heavyweights training, and that it would be exciting if I went over there,” Rummel said. “but, I entered the American system in high school, and most of my friends are on the American system. I never really considered rowing for Denmark.”

Rummel attributes the prestigious Harvard rowing community to helping him reach his Olympic aspirations.

“Our coaches from Harvard have helped me along…but, it’s more than that…in college, you’re pushing yourself, because there’s times posted from previous years of guys who have been in the Olympics,” said the rower. “That really helps.”

Rummel, who began rowing when he first came to the US, learned he was London-bound last June whilst training at the US Olympic Committee training center in Chula Vista, CA.

“Making the Olympic team is my biggest accomplishment. And, in two months, hopefully I’ll have an even bigger accomplishment,” Rummel said in an interview the day his Olympic selection was announced. “We don’t want to go over there just to go, we’re going over there to win.”

Rummel and the rest of the US Men’s Four boat will row tomorrow at 11:30 British Summer Time against teams from Germany, Australia, Greece, Netherlands, and Great Britain.